Serve Grilled Asparagus with Raclette

Asparagus! Again! I know, I know. I can’t help it. I bought a lot at the store and I needed to make good use of it.

A few weeks ago I was in Chicago for Memorial Weekend and we were were a bit sick of the restaurant routine and were craving a homemade meal. We went to Publican Quality Meats and picked up some beautiful asparagus, which we were planning on grilling, and I additionally got the bright idea to melt raclette over them after I spotted it in their cheese case.

Raclette, if you’ve never had it, is divine. It’s known for its meltability and in most parts of Switzerland it’s melted (sometimes) in front of a fire and eaten with all sorts of delicious things: meats, breads and vegetables.

Today this is my very American version. I grilled the asparagus over an open flame (I love char). And then I thinly sliced the raclette and layered it over the bed of asparagus. I topped with it with sprinkling of panko bread crumbs and set it right under the broiler until brown and toasty. And then I added a good amount of lemon zest because anything super rich needs something to cut through it.

This side dish is spring meets summer; it’s simple and one of the most delicious things I’ve made in a long time.

Directions

Preheat your grill. In a medium wide dish, toss the asparagus with the olive and salt. Transfer asparagus to grill, turning every so often, until the stalks appear tender and are lightly golden brown in spots. (Alternatively you could roast the asparagus in a 400 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.)

Turn your oven’s broiler on. Transfer asparagus to baking dish or oven-proof serving dish. Add the zest from 1/2 lemon and toss the asparagus. Give one a try and make sure there’s enough salt. Arrange the asparagus back so the spears are in one even layer. Place raclette slices on top of asparagus and top with panko bread crumbs. Place under the broiler until bread crumbs are golden brown. Remove from broiler and zest the remaining lemon over the top. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve immediately. (Alternatively, you could place the asparagus in the center of a sheet of foil, top with cheese and panko bread crumbs and place the whole thing over the grill.)

Yield: 4 servings

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

Probably because the baking instructions are usually on the pastry package. Mine has one for empty and one for filled. I can't wait to try this recipe. Cheese and mushrooms are a favorite combo. I wonder if the crisped sage leaves would keep if I made them a few days ahead and placed in a sealed container?

Thanks for a glimpse into a large family. I has 2 sisters and brother, but they were grown and moved out when I came along. My parents rule was stocking before breakfast, and tree after breakfast when often my oldest sister and her family would come to open presents under the tree. And my grandparents stayed with us over holidays.

I followed the recipe with the exception of adding chopped garlic to the ricotta ecause I just love garlic. I also switched from 375 regular bake to a 300 degree convection bake for the last 10 min to help some of the liquid evaporate. My crust was perfect all the way through! Also: pro tip: use full fat Greek yogurt! It's the closest to sour cream in f